County mobile crisis teams respond to police incidents where they connect victims and appropriate services after trauma or other issues. This could mean they help someone with an opioid addiction seek treatment or connect victims of violence to counselors.

In our case, they responded to the June 28 shooting that claimed five lives in the Capital Gazette newsroom — Rebecca Smith, John McNamara, Gerald Fischman, Wendi Winters and Rob Hiaasen.

We witnessed first-hand how Crisis Response Director Jennifer Corbin, county police Lt. Steve Thomas and their teams worked to notify the families of our five colleagues, offering trauma counseling to those in the newsroom that day who survived and those who survived because they were off or out on assignment.

The crisis response teams are the unsung heroes of this tragedy, and if an expansion of their services brings recognition for their work, we’re all for it.

Schuh is the first elected official to respond with action to our call for a response to the shooting. On Aug. 1, he wrote in a guest column for The Capital that a lack of investment in mental health resources was part of the problem and he planned to address it.

The executive’s plan would cost $470,000 each year. If the council approves an amended fund transfer bill when it comes up for a vote Oct. 1, there would be 10 crisis teams, each with two crisis professionals and a police officer. The police officer is funded by the police department.

Crisis response teams also work alongside the county Safe Stations Program. This program allows residents to seek addiction treatment without fear of criminal prosecution.

Schuh has pledged to fund the new teams annually, although that’s up to future executives and councils. For his response, we would like to say thank you.

Some have answered our quest for solutions, others have not. We will ask again and ask those who have not responded why they are silent.

In the meantime, this funding is a concrete step based on the experience of this community. We can think of no more important vote likely to come before the council in the remaining weeks before the current four-year term ends.

Voters can make sure there is no hesitation by contacting Pete Smith, John Grasso, Derek Fink, Andrew Pruski, Michael Peroutka, Chris Trumbauer and Jerry Walker.

Let them know that every step toward preventing the next mass shooting is of vital importance. Let them know you want them to vote yes.